My first prediction for 2010 was the Broncos getting rid of Brandon Marshall — I thought it was a very, very easy one.

Some of these people out there obviously don’t think so.

“Marshall will be back…”  “We’ll be stupid to let his talent go…”  “You can’t be serious about getting draft picks for his proven talent…”

Enough, he’s gone.

Gonna go through it one last time.

First, there is reason to wonder if Marshall is even worth being the highest paid wide receiver in the game or close to it. Troubles aside, attitude aside. He’s a great possession receiver, he gets good yards after the catch, he’s a big target, but he ain’t some super dynamic speedy game-changer like Larry Fitzgerald.

Marshall’s second year I said to myself, I said this kid will be a Bronco for only a few years, hopefully we’ll make a run and utilize his talent while he’s here, because when his contract comes up, this is the type of kid that will want the moon.

That was even before most of the nonsense:

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June 17, 2006: Conflicting police reports from Marshall and Rasheedah Watley were filed with the Orange County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department. Marshall told police that Watley became violent after seeing him earlier that evening as the object of another woman’s affection. Marshall described Watley to police as an old family friend and told police that Watley punched him and scratched his chest after an argument inside the couple’s Orlando apartment spiraled out of control. Watley, who filed a police report by phone from Atlanta three days after the incident, told Florida police that Marshall was the aggressor, and that he slapped her in the face, grabbed her by the arms and pushed her to the ground, and that Marshall’s sister, London, who was also present during the fight, cut Watley above her eye by throwing a cell phone or remote control at her face. No charges were ever filed.

Dec. 31, 2006: Marshall and several Broncos teammates were present at “The Shelter,” a nightclub in Denver’s LoDo section, as part of a birthday celebration for Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. Former Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker later told HBO’s “Real Sports” that an argument broke out at the club when Marshall and his cousin sprayed champagne on another club patron and his friend. The men, who argued with Marshall and his cousin, were then asked to leave the club, Walker told HBO. Walker admitted he didn’t see the encounter. According to media reports, around closing time, Marshall and his cousin were seen on the sidewalk outside the club arguing with the patrons who had been ejected from the club earlier that night. Walker told HBO that he believes the argument contributed to a drive-by shooting a short time later that killed Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams.

Jan. 24, 2007: Police responded to a parking lot outside an Orlando bowling alley where Marshall and his father had a heated argument. According to a police report of the incident, Frederick Marshall said his son took out a handgun and fired one shot at him after the two men argued. Frederick Marshall, who refused to sign a sworn statement or press charges, said his son left the area after firing the handgun. Several witnesses said they never heard gunshots, according to the police report.  Frederick Marshall also threatened to “ruin [Brandon's] professional football career,” according to the police report. Brandon Marshall also declined to press charges.

March 18, 2007: Atlanta police responded to a domestic dispute call at the Westin Peachtree hotel. Watley told officers that after meeting Marshall at the hotel that night, he became enraged after he went through her cell phone call list and noticed she’d been speaking with an ex-boyfriend. Watley told police Marshall hit her repeatedly with a closed fist. While she refused medical attention, police noticed a large, dark-colored bruise on Watley’s chin. Police reported seeing Marshall in the lobby of a neighboring hotel but, according to the report, Marshall left and was not arrested. Police advised Watley to take out a warrant for Marshall’s arrest, but Watley never did. No charges were ever filed.

March 21, 2007: Watley filed a report with police in Boca Raton, Fla. Watley and Marshall, who were staying in south Florida with Marshall’s uncle, told police that an argument started that night at a local restaurant after Marshall refused to ask Watley to marry him. According to a police report, while Watley was walking home, Marshall grabbed a large pipe from a construction site and hit the ground with it in frustration. Nobody was hurt. Police characterized the incident as a verbal domestic dispute. No charges were filed.

March 26, 2007: Police in Douglas County, Colo., arrested Marshall for false imprisonment and domestic violence. Watley told “Outside the Lines” she was assaulted by Marshall a day earlier at Marshall’s suburban Denver home — she never reported that incident to police — and that she was attempting to fly back to Atlanta to get away from Marshall. Watley told police she and Marshall argued at the Denver airport and that she later agreed to return to Marshall’s home. Watley told police when she attempted to leave Marshall’s home a second time, Marshall followed her taxi and, at one point, blocked its path with his Dodge Charger, leapt from his car and punched the taxi cab’s windows. When contacted by “Outside the Lines,” the cab driver confirmed Watley’s version of events. Marshall denied punching the taxi cab’s windows and later told police he was only trying to retrieve his cell phone, which he said Watley had taken from him.

May 25, 2007: Charges against Marshall relating to his arrest in Douglas County, Colo., were dismissed after he successfully completed anger management classes.

June 8, 2007: Police responded to Marshall and Watley’s Atlanta condo at 5 a.m. and found Watley with a noticeable cut on her right thigh. Watley initially told officers that she accidentally cut herself with a kitchen knife. Watley told the first officer to arrive that while she had argued with Marshall earlier that evening, no physical abuse occurred. Marshall was not present. Roughly an hour later, at 6:07 a.m., police were dispatched to the condo a second time. On this second visit Watley told police that Marshall did indeed cut her thigh with a kitchen knife during a fight earlier that evening and that he later returned to the condo and continued to assault Watley by punching her in the forehead. Watley’s friend, Kristeena Spivey, told police that while she was attempting to drive Watley from the condo complex, she noticed Marshall attempting to leave the scene. Spivey, who called 911 to make officers aware of Marshall’s whereabouts, said when she attempted to block Marshall’s exit from the parking lot with her vehicle, Marshall rammed her car with his Cadillac Escalade and then left his SUV and threw a large rock at the passenger side of Spivey’s car. Marshall fled the scene before police arrived, according to Spivey and Watley. Watley was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. No charges were ever filed.

June 30, 2007: Atlanta police responded to a fight-in-progress call at Marshall and Watley’s condo. Watley told police that a fight broke out after Marshall missed a flight and blamed Watley. Watley told police Marshall struck her with a closed fist and choked her. Watley had a bruise on her left eye and noticeable scratches on her body, according to a police report of the incident. Officers made Watley aware of the procedures to obtain a restraining order. No charges were filed.

Oct. 22, 2007: Hours after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marshall was cited at 2 a.m. by Denver police for driving under the influence after he was seen driving erratically. His blood-alcohol level was 0.116 (the legal limit for DUI in Colorado is 0.08).

Jan. 18, 2008: Watley obtained a temporary protective order against Marshall in Fulton County (Ga.) Superior Court. At the time, Marshall was forbidden to come within 200 yards of Watley. Watley, through her attorneys, eventually agreed to lift the court order.

Feb. 18, 2008: Watley told “Outside the Lines” that as part of a Valentine’s Day present, and in an attempt to repair their relationship, Marshall surprised her with a last-minute trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. While on that trip, Watley said, Marshall argued with her about an ex-boyfriend. Watley said Marshall assaulted her at San Juan’s Condado Plaza Hotel, hitting her in the mouth, which caused her to bleed, and choking her on the bed. A report was filed by police saying officers were called to the hotel to help hotel security escort guests from the property. The report does not mention Watley, Marshall or any details of the incident.

March 4, 2008: Police responded around 9 p.m. to a fight call at Marshall and Watley’s Atlanta condo and found Marshall bleeding from his hand. Marshall initially told police that during an argument with Watley, one of Watley’s sisters cut him on his hand with a knife. When asked by police who had the knife, Marshall then told officers there was no knife, and that he’d been cut on glass during a fight with Watley. Watley told police that Marshall became upset after finding text messages from an ex-boyfriend on Watley’s phone. Watley had several cuts on her lips, according to a police report, and told officers that Marshall had grabbed her by the head and slapped her. While police were interviewing Watley, Marshall fled, according to a report of the incident.

March 5, 2008: Police returned to Marshall and Watley’s condo around 1 a.m. Watley and her sister both told police that after the fight earlier that same evening, Marshall returned to the condo, took Watley’s purse and threw her personal belongings, including clothing, off of the 20th floor balcony. Police told Watley to leave the residence, but she declined and explained that she feared Marshall would return again once officers left and damage more of her property.

March 5, 2008: Watley obtained her second temporary protective order against Marshall in Fulton County Superior Court. Marshall was once again forbidden by the court order to come within 200 yards of Watley.

May 5, 2008: Atlanta police were called once again to the condo Watley shared for more than a year with Marshall. According to a police report, Watley and Marshall’s mother argued about Watley’s attempt to remove items from the condo. No charges were filed.

Aug. 5, 2008: The NFL released a statement announcing that Marshall would be suspended without pay for the Broncos’ first three regular-season games of 2008 for violating the NFL personal conduct policy. The statement noted that “if Marshall fully complies with required counseling and other conditions of the suspension, Commissioner Goodell will consider reducing the suspension to two games.”

Aug. 28, 2008: Less than a month after the NFL released a statement announcing Marshall’s suspension, the league released another statement saying Marshall’s suspension had been reduced upon appeal to one game without pay plus an additional fine of one game check. An NFL spokesman told ESPN “a potential reduction in [Marshall's] initial three-game suspension was always contemplated if he complied with required counseling and other conditions of the suspension.” The spokesman would not elaborate on the precise conditions Marshall met to have his suspension reduced.

Sept. 10, 2008: Marshall was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple battery as a result of the incident the previous March (his formal bond arraignment was Nov. 3, 2008). Simple battery, according to the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Sept. 12, 2008: Nearly a year after being cited for DUI in Denver, Marshall pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of driving while ability-impaired. He was sentenced to one year of probation.

March 1, 2009: Marshall and his fiancée, Nogami-Campbell, were seen by an off-duty Atlanta police officer arguing outside the same Atlanta condo Marshall once shared with Watley. According to a police report of the incident, the off-duty officer saw Marshall and Nogami-Campbell kicking and punching one another on the sidewalk outside the condo building. The off-duty officer said she saw Marshall grab Nogami-Campbell by the shirt and pin her up against the wall. Nogami-Campbell continued to kick and hit Marshall, the officer said. Both Marshall and Nogami-Campbell were arrested and taken to the Atlanta City Jail. They were released later that same day and charges were dismissed. In a statement to ESPN, the NFL said the incident remains “under review.” — ESPN

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Add to this the fact that Marshall started off the season stupid, and ended stupid.

I suppose we ought to run right out and pay 50 million plus to this unprofessional locker room poison who is one step away from being suspended six games. You know what that Numbnuts at the Denver Post said? He stole my line about Cutler — million dollar talent but a ten cent head. Is that right Numby? Wasn’t this the guy you said we should pay 50 million plus for a few months ago?

Ain’t no way, no how.

Josh McDaniels is an authoritarian. I told you people last February, I told you that he has the mark of a winner and he will rule with an iron fist. He will clean house and put his foot down on the me-first poor character Shanahan era players who were acquired out of blind desperation. That Scheffler couldn’t wait til the Broncos season was over, eh? Don’t let the door hit you in the ass. McDaniels ain’t gonna put up with that nonsense, or with Marshall’s nonsense. Marshall’s season started stupid, and it ended stupid. I knew he would be trouble when the team hit any sort of adversity (losing games) just like I’m sure he will do the same with this next team.

We can and will take the money we could have paid Brandon Marshall and we can sign two professionals with that money.

If we get a first rounder for Marshall — I ‘m not so sure we even want two first rounders.

In a year where there will be a surplus of quality restricted free agents, the Broncos may end up being one of the few teams with an extra first rounder as ammunition.

A first round pick from Marshall for Logan Mankins? Or Vincent Jackson? Hello. Yes, in a heartbeat.

I happen to think a first round draft pick for Marshall would be great in any scenario, whether we use it to acquire a restricted free agent or to simply draft.

One of the best case scenarios in my opinion is getting something for Marshall then using that something to bring in Logan Mankins. And then signing a wide receiver on the level of a Gaffney. An all pro guard and a quality player — plus the fact they will be professionals — for the same amount of money it would have taken to sign Marshall.

We can’t let this happen? We can’t get a deal like this done fast enough.